UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Oct 17

* VIRGIN MONEY: British challenger bank Virgin Money reported gross mortgage lending of 6.5 billion pounds ($8.6 billion) to the end of the third quarter, and said it had seen robust consumer demand with low unemployment and a resilient housing market.

* PEARSON: Pearson said it expects its full-year operating profit to come in at the top half of its forecast range, in the first positive news on trading for the British education group in recent years.

* ASOS: British online fashion retailer ASOS increased its outlook for sales growth in its 2018 financial year to 25-30 percent after it met market expectations with a 27 percent rise in retail sales in the year to end-August.

CAPITA: Capita staff represented by British trade union Unite will go on strike after talks with the company over changes to its defined benefit pension scheme failed, the union said on Monday.

* RIO TINTO: Global miner Rio Tinto on Tuesday said it had lifted its third quarter iron ore shipments by 6 percent after modernizing its haulage railway in Australia’s outback, but cut its production target for copper due to delays at a major mine in Chile.

* ETALON: Russian homebuilder Etalon is unlikely to meet its forecast for 20 percent growth of new contract sales in 2017 because of delays in offering new apartments for sale, Chief Executive Officer Vyacheslav Zarenkov said on Monday.

* GOLD: Gold prices were steady early on Tuesday, after dipping below $1,300 an ounce in the previous session, as the dollar held firm on strong U.S. Treasury yields. Spot gold was unchanged at $1,293.60 an ounce at 0055 GMT. It shed 0.8 percent in the previous session.

* LME Copper: London copper paused for breath near three-year highs on Tuesday as it faced headwinds from a stronger dollar, but renewed optimism over China’s economic outlook has lent support to prices. London Metal Exchange copper eased 0.2 percent to $7,118 a tonne by 0411 GMT.

* Britain’s FTSE 100 ended the session down 0.1 percent, with basic resource stocks adding the most points to the index.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets